Report: The BBC Eyeing A Consolidation Of Music Controllers

LONDON (CelebrityAccess) –The BBC’s Radio and Music division appears to be facing a tectonic shift as the broadcaster prepares to search for a new executive to oversee its music portfolio.

Programme Controllers serve a similar role as programming directors, and they set strategy, brand, and tone, as well as coordinate and develop programming, content and talent at the BBC’s content platforms.

According to an internal memo obtained by Music Business Worldwide, The BBC’s Director, Radio & Education James Purnell said the organization appears to be preparing to integrate controller positions at all of its outlets, including BBC Music, Radio 1, Radio 2 and 1Xtra under the newly created role of Controller, BBC Pop Music.

“This is a great opportunity for the pop music stations to work more closely together and for the BBC to maintain its effective voice with the music industry,” James Purnell wrote in the memo obtained by MBW.

Controllers, in particular, the BBC Radio One, are influential in the selection which music is played on BBC’s outlets and have a major impact on the music scene at large in the Uk.

Per MBW, Ben Cooper, current Controller of BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra, is seen as a likely candidate for the role.

Other hints that the BBC is planning to consolidate its controller roles include currently unfilled controller positions at key properties such as BBC Radio 2 and 6Music, which has been vacant since Bob Shennan was promoted to Group Managing Director.

The BBC is reportedly also planning to create a new controller position for BBC Sounds, the broadcaster’s recently launched app which replaced the BBC iPlayer app.

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